Anyone who had H.Pylori bacteria

[Brad P]

Just to try and sum up my recent history...

Crohn's since 1987. Last winter/spring I was on aggressive chemo after having a small bowel tumor removed during Fall 2008. Late Feb and into March I was having a BAD time. Some side effects included BAD heartburn despite 80mg of PPI a day, I'd wake up in the morning a little hungry and have breakfast but couldn't hardly eat the rest of the day because I felt full, weird burping throughout the day, major weight loss, etc No doctor, not even my GI could explain it. The chemo was generally blamed.

On April 1st I was given antibiotics for an infection. I felt much better, my appetite picked up, I gained some weight, heartburn and weird gas was gone. I finished chemo on May 8th.

Now its December. For the past few weeks and even months, I've been fighting heartburn, weird burping, flatulance, struggling appetite, and now some weight loss after a SLOW weight gain since May. I had some tests done recently such as a blood tests, barium follow-thru, and endoscopy. The endoscopy shows ulcers and inflammation in my duodenum. I haven't gotten the results back yet on the rest. For now my GI gave me 40mg of Prednisone a day to try and get it under control. In the past 30mg a day for a week or so I'd be bouncing off the walls and eating like a horse. I've been on 40mg for 2 weeks, and finished a 35mg week and do not feel any affect from it at all.

I've read that ulcers in the duodenum is 90% of the time caused by h.pylori. The only difference between these symptoms now and what I experienced during chemo is the intensity of them. What I felt during chemo was much worse.

I have to wonder if my lowered immune system allowed the start of a h.pylori infection that never did quite clear up and now has returned. From my research, my symptoms seem to be similar to those of h.pylori.

Has anyone here been dx'ed with h.pylori? was it an easy or difficult thing to treat? was it similar to what I have been experiencing?

Thanks for any help

 

[tamesis]

I have not had it, but have similar symptoms to yours and was tested for it.
i did some research on the treatment, and i believe it is a course of 3 antibiotics, and nexium.....Hopefully you find some answers soon!

 

[forum contributor]

Hey Brad

H. pylori SUCKS!! My dad and I contracted it when I was about 11 or 12 years old from TCBY and it was one of the worst experiences of my childhood. I was constantly sick and throwing up, in and out of the ER for IVs and shots of Vistrol, went through so many tests... it was hard to get rid of, if I'm remembering correctly.

The way we found out was through blood tests. I guess they have a breath test now, too! How far medicine and technology have come in 15+ years....

Sorry, I wish I had more to give you, but I was a kid then and I'm 28 now.

I'm sorry that you're/you've going/gone through such a miserable time. But damn, boy - your sig shows that you're stronger than all you've faced so far!!!! Good luck, and keep us all updated on how you're doing, ok? You are one resilient SOB, and I can only hope that if faced with anything half as tough, I could have some of that strength!

Feel better, buddy!!

 

[Brad P]

Hey Brad

H. pylori SUCKS!! My dad and I contracted it when I was about 11 or 12 years old from TCBY and it was one of the worst experiences of my childhood.

TCBY? the closest thing for a meaning I found is yogurt? Interesting if so! Sounds like a bad time you had for sure. Yikes.

I'm sorry that you're/you've going/gone through such a miserable time. But damn, boy - your sig shows that you're stronger than all you've faced so far!!!! Good luck, and keep us all updated on how you're doing, ok? You are one resilient SOB, and I can only hope that if faced with anything half as tough, I could have some of that strength!

Feel better, buddy!!

Many days my resilience was tested, believe me. But when faced with such a challenge, one doesn't have a choice but to tackle it head on. But thanks for the pat on the back! :smile:

I have a CT scan now later this month so my fingers are crossed. Even though they removed the tumor completely, they also removed 12 affected lymph nodes which put doctors on red alert, hence the aggressive chemo to make sure it wouldn't return. So they are monitoring me with CT scans every 3 months until mid-2010 I expect.

Thanks again for the replies.

 

[forum contributor]

Oh yes, my friend..... this is what first did me in:

http://www.tcby.com/

 

[Kuwabara]

I had Hypylori Brad - I just had a course of antiobiotics that lasted a week and I was apparantly rid of it. It compounded the existing problems caused by Crohns - I did feel significantly better after ridding myself of it.

Hope you keep on fighting mate

 

[Brad P]

I had Hypylori Brad - I just had a course of antiobiotics that lasted a week and I was apparantly rid of it. It compounded the existing problems caused by Crohns - I did feel significantly better after ridding myself of it.

Hope you keep on fighting mate

Sounds promising, glad you got rid of it.

Thinking back, when I had to get to ER on April 1st of this year because I felt so sick from the chemo, my doctor gave me antibiotics for a possible infection, which may have been related to an abscess that had developed down under. He gave me Cipro and Flagyl. After a few days I felt much better, those GI symptoms were gone and I had literally NO gas for weeks. I did not break wind once. I even ate yogurt 1-3 times a day to try and replenish the good bacteria because I figured my gut flora was toast.

Anywho, I hope to get results of those tests back tomorrow.

 

[Trysha]

Hello Brad
I am just finishing triple therapy for H pylori found at upper endoscopy
also a lot of inflammation was found in the stomach and three ulcers in the duodenum
My symptoms were severe epigastric pain and nausea.
especially bad was waking with the pain at night
I am now feeling better and finish the antibiotic course tomorrow
I believe it has made a significant difference and nights are so much better
The lower left sided pain I am now getting again is I think a resurgence of Crohn's.
I have to have a breath test in February to ensure the eradication of H pylori
Then in March have follow up with the GI specialist for this and the Crohn's
I had to have a two week course of treatment with metronidazole,amoxacillin and losec.
If I had been able to take clarithromycin the course would have been for one week.
H pylori can be diagnosed with the breath test, endoscopy is not always necessary
It is the decision of the GI depending on the total picture
I still don't know if these were Crohn's ulcers===time will tell
Sorry you are having a bad time and hope you will soon feel a bit better
Lots of hugs
annsplash

 

[imisspopcorn]

When they were trying to figure out what my stomach problems were from, my blood test came back Positive for H. Pylori....I was treated but got worse until they finally dx'd Crohn's...Years later I had the breath test and it was negatvie.....
Best of luck to you Brad.

 

[Brad P]

Hello Brad
I am just finishing triple therapy for H pylori found at upper endoscopy
also a lot of inflammation was found in the stomach and three ulcers in the duodenum
My symptoms were severe epigastric pain and nausea.
especially bad was waking with the pain at night
I am now feeling better and finish the antibiotic course tomorrow
I believe it has made a significant difference and nights are so much better
The lower left sided pain I am now getting again is I think a resurgence of Crohn's.
I have to have a breath test in February to ensure the eradication of H pylori
Then in March have follow up with the GI specialist for this and the Crohn's
I had to have a two week course of treatment with metronidazole,amoxacillin and losec.
If I had been able to take clarithromycin the course would have been for one week.
H pylori can be diagnosed with the breath test, endoscopy is not always necessary
It is the decision of the GI depending on the total picture
I still don't know if these were Crohn's ulcers===time will tell
Sorry you are having a bad time and hope you will soon feel a bit better
Lots of hugs
annsplash

Thanks for this reply. I don't have any pain really, occasional slight cramping but nothing serious. But I do have much rumbling going on down there! That was one thing that was taken care of after my surgery last fall. Years of rumblings from bowel narrowings caused by years of flareups were gone. The surgeon not only removed the tumor but extra bad bowel from Crohn's. I hadn't felt that good in years between the surgery and chemo (2 month window). I ate like a horse and gained 30lbs!

Thanks for the best wishes guys. I really need to contribute more here. Having Crohn's for 22 years should make me know enough to help others!

 

[Brad P]

I got my results today...Crohn's flareup. I asked if H.Pylori was involved and she said no, tests for that came back negative. I explained how all this is similar to when I was on chemo, and how I felt better after taking Cipro and Flagyl. She said other bacteria could be playing a factor or I may have too much bacteria in my gut so she gave me Rx'es for each to try. Crossing my fingers I get similar results.

 

[Brad P]

I've been taking Flagyl and Cipro now for 3-4 days and it has made a total difference. My burping has gone, no more heartburn, stinky gas is gone...heck, I hardly have any gas now. My appetite has picked up and eating more for sure. My stool is floating now probably due to low bacteria but not too concerned. Over the next day or two I may get some probiotic yogurt to help with the good bacteria. But this was definately an early Xmas gift

 

[Peaches]

Yay! Glad you figured out what would work!

 

[krs2]

I've been taking Flagyl and Cipro now for 3-4 days and it has made a total difference. My burping has gone, no more heartburn, stinky gas is gone...heck, I hardly have any gas now. My appetite has picked up and eating more for sure. My stool is floating now probably due to low bacteria but not too concerned. Over the next day or two I may get some probiotic yogurt to help with the good bacteria. But this was definately an early Xmas gift

I am in a similar situation. I have duodenal ulcers that were biopsies twice and they turned out to not be h pylori so they are crohn's disease. i am taking nexium but my doc really doesnt know what to do to get the ulcers to go away. I just started 6-mp and he hopes that will get rid of them. My main symptoms are heartburn and i went thru a period during a really bad flare where i basically lost my appetite after a few bites of my lunch.


i suffer from really bad gas and my doctor doesnt have an answer from me... i was on flagyl 500mg 3x a day (for perianal crohns) until last week, and i havent noticed any increase or decrease in gas. i had gas before i took meds but once i started meds the gas got like 10x worse!

 

[Brad P]

I am in a similar situation. I have duodenal ulcers that were biopsies twice and they turned out to not be h pylori so they are crohn's disease. i am taking nexium but my doc really doesnt know what to do to get the ulcers to go away. I just started 6-mp and he hopes that will get rid of them. My main symptoms are heartburn and i went thru a period during a really bad flare where i basically lost my appetite after a few bites of my lunch.


i suffer from really bad gas and my doctor doesnt have an answer from me... i was on flagyl 500mg 3x a day (for perianal crohns) until last week, and i havent noticed any increase or decrease in gas. i had gas before i took meds but once i started meds the gas got like 10x worse!

It's strange how some people response to antibiotics and some don't. Perhaps trying Cipro with or without the Flagyl may make a difference. But it sounds like we have a similar problem.

I have to friends with bowel disease and both have gotten good results from just taking Cipro.